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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. file — a document
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — the fish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mug — to rob
  14. file — a line of people
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. file — a tool
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com